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The Basic Girl’s Guide To : Tokyo Food

May 10, 2016

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I had such an amazeballs time in Tokyo that I had to split the posts up into all the fun you can have (which you can read here) and this one: FOOD!!!! Tokyo is arguably one of the biggest foodie capitals in the world. Since 2009, it has had the most 3 Michelin starred restaurants in the world. Side note: If you don’t know what a Michelin star restaurant is (I had no clue for ages), my eating at a fancy restaurant guide is here. Anyway, in the land of sushi and teppanyaki, I was bound to eat myself into a coma. Below is a detailed guide to a gluttonous trip. Enjoy my Basic Girl’s Guide to: Tokyo Food!

First and foremost, I would recommend downloading Waygo. It’s a translation app for Japanese, Korean and Chinese characters to English and this really helped when pictures weren’t available. Although not always accurate, it was sometimes overly descriptive. Case in point, uni, which is essentially sea guts, comes up as blow ones nose. When our dish arrived, it looked exactly like someone had blown their nose into some rice.

Sushi – Tsukiji Fish Market

We went here straight off the plane while we waited for our hotel room. You can’t actually get into the market anymore as a tourist, but don’t worry, there’s plenty of gross fish heads for you to see in the surrounding area. There are hundreds of little sushi restaurants/stands around the market, all with fantastic fresh fish.

Our friend knew of a place just around the corner from the main entrance and I’d like to tell you exactly where it was, but it was literally a maze. We went up some stairs and through a back door somewhere… then, surprise, amazing sushi!

But you really can’t go wrong. These are the experts and once you eat sushi at this market, everything else will taste sub-par.

There are also lots of little stands with ‘try me’ baskets. I have no idea what was in them, but it tasted like fish jerky. http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm

The Kill Bill Restaurant (Gonpachi)

This place was really yummy. They have a set menu for lunch as well as a la carte. I really liked the shrimp tempura dish, especially if you are as hung-over as I was from Karaoke the night before. It’s a pretty lively atmosphere and we went during Sakura, so I’m not sure if the cherry blossoms are always there, but they were a lovely touch. http://www.gonpachi.jp/nishiazabu/?lang=en

Those little white things on the salad are little fishies. I tried one and then scraped the rest off because they were really fish-y.

Korean BBQ – Yoroniku Yakiniku

Oddly enough, if you ask locals, they will say some of the best restaurants in Japan are Korean BBQ. Basically, you get a whole bunch of meat and cook it on a little grill in the middle of your table. Try not to be deterred by the meat selection. I was persuaded to try beef tongue and it was actually pretty tender.

https://savorjapan.com/0006044267/

Convenience stores

I didn’t actually eat at one of these because we had so little time, nobody was willing to risk a bad meal out of a 7/11. But I WISH I had. They have everything in weird colourful packaging and I imagine the ramen is out of this world. If you are strapped for cash and a little peckish, definitely give this a shot. They also have little cans of sake which I did try and it was very very tasty.

Starbucks

It wouldn’t be a basic girl’s guide without a sampling of the Japanese Starbucks. I’m as basic as it gets, so I just had a skinny vanilla latte. However, I was really impressed with their special offerings. Apricot honey soy frappuccino? If it wasn’t 20 million calories, yes please!

Commune 246

Near Harajuku, Commune 246 is this cute little outdoor market/food truck place where you can get different kinds of food from all over. We had the most delicious schnitzel burgers, my favourite being the avocado. They also have fantastic coffee and events throughout the year. http://commune246.com

Brunch/Breakfast at the Intercontinental

Most days we were so jet lagged that we woke up and went straight to lunch, but, it was my birthday so I insisted we have breakfast somewhere and that somewhere turned out to be the lobby cafe/restaurant at the hotel. They had absolutely everything, from friend rice, to dim sum to hash browns and hummus. But the best was the bacon. Oh my word. It was crispy and PERFECTLY straight! I had so many pieces, I was waiting for the wait staff to come over and tell me I’d exceeded my personal quota. The cost was ¥3400, or around $30 USD. http://www.anaintercontinental-tokyo.jp

Teppanyaki

So, this is my brother’s favourite kind of food. Like, we were in Portugal for his birthday and he found a Teppanyaki restaurant to celebrate in. So I was insanely excited to try one in Tokyo. Apparently one of the best ones you can go to is in the ANA intercontinental, but I insisted on going to the rabbit café when the reservation was available. Instead, we went to Teppan Bambina. It was ok, but there wasn’t really a show which is what I was most excited about. You really can’t go wrong when it comes to beef in Japan. They care about the quality of their beef almost as much as their fish, so always order the wagyu when you can.

The one you should go to: http://www.anaintercontinental-tokyo.jp/e/rest/akasaka.html

The ok one: http://teppan-bambina.com/en/

My advice? Come to Japan hungry! You might just have to trust the process though, because this is the real deal and the Japanese don’t bend to appease western cultures. Use that as an opportunity to expand your palette! Do you have any Tokyo food suggestions? Comment below!

Food

Crazy Homies

May 9, 2016

Stephanie

Crazy Homies has the best nachos in London. While other establishments try to pass off nacho flavoured Doritos covered in half melted cheese as the real deal, Crazy Homies actually makes their tortilla chips by hand, daily. I’ve been several times before, but I recently went on Cinco de Mayo, which I think is some kind of Mexican holiday celebrating them getting rid of the French. I use it as an excuse to eat an uncomfortable amount of nachos and tacos washed down with at least three too many margaritas.

The first Thursday of every month at Crazy Homies is special. DJ Wheelie Bags comes in and spins classics such as La Bamba, Tequila and Ring Of Fire, whilst handing out awesome prizes.

I got this spiderman and after two trips down the wall he looked like this. Things escalate quickly when tequila is involved.

This Thursday was particularly special because it fell on Cinco De Mayo. A perfect storm that required the perfect outfit, which meant I had to get this skirt from Zara when I saw it that day. It was a sign! Unfortunately, as I left the house to meet friends, the zipper burst open. Some might see that as a sign to maybe NOT to eat my weight in tacos, but I just pinned that sucker up and exchanged it for a new one on my way to the restaurant. I’m no quitter.

There are several reasons why I’m not a model, but this photo is illustrative of the main reason. It’s really hard for me to look like a normal human being if I know there is a camera nearby.

We were a large group of seven crammed into a table that was probably meant for two, but that didn’t matter. Crazy Homies is not a white linen tablecloth kind of place. It feels dive-y, in the best way possible. If you want space, relative quiet and adequate lighting but zero vibe, go to Wahaca. Crazy Homies if for the purists. The whole place makes you feel like you smoked some pot before you came, again, in the best possible way.

I recommend starting off with the fresh tortilla chips and sauces, AKA Totopos. The guacamole is great, but they don’t give you enough (really, you can never have enough guac) and the salsas range from mild to burn off your uvula. Get your mind out of the gutter, your uvula isn’t where you think it is. Helpful hint: watch out for the stuff that resembles BBQ sauce unless you’re a masochist.

There are eight options for margaritas on the menu, but I’m sure if you had a concoction in mind, they’d make it for you. I had 5 anejo margs and was hung-over AF the next day. Choose your poison carefully because these things are delish.

Because we were such a big group, we just blanket ordered the pulled pork nachos, chicken quesadillas and then every taco they had

Eat the nachos as soon as they come. Because everything is fresh, the juices can make the tortilla chips soggy if you wait too long.

The Mahi Mahi fish taco.

Tacos come with two options, tacos (soft tortilla) or toastadas fried tortilla. Hard shells are my favourite but the Crazy Homies ones are fried flat which makes eating them a massive pain. Soft are the style du jour and the norm in the US as well.

The shrimp and the chicken tacos were my favourite. The added mango on the shrimp taco make it taste light and really fresh.Crazy Homies is the closest to American style Mexican food you can get in London. Embrace the cramped quarters and quirky atmosphere, add a few margaritas and you will have a fantastic time.

What to wear: Something you don’t mind spilling guacamole on and wear your hair down for an opportunity to wear one of the many sombreros floating around.

Crazy Homies

125 Westbourne Park Road

Notting Hill, London

W2 5QL

020 7727 6771

www.crazyhomies.com

Food

PizzaBuzz

May 4, 2016

Stephanie

Pizza is one of my favourite foods. I love it so much, that it’s what I demanded for my birthday meal last year. So, when I was invited to try out the new London pizza joint, PizzaBuzz, I was both excited and nervous. As a blogger, you always want to love the place you’re going to eat for free, but as a pizza lover, I know I’m an unforgiving b*&ch (case in point: my post on Pizza East can be seen here).

I was very pleasantly surprised! PizzaBuzz is a millennial focused pizza brand. With their pop art walls and emphasis on the individual, it was honestly a restaurant experience like none other. The most impressive part for me was that they have simplified the ordering process. Ever get annoyed when you’re at a restaurant and they don’t come take your order for ages, or not there when you want another drink and even worse, never bring you the bill? They have an app for that. Along with a delivery option on most food service apps like Deliveroo and Jinn, they also have Flypay, an app that can bring your food right to the table without having to flag someone down.
They are also the solution to that annoying friend you can’t go anywhere with because they are everything-intolerant. You get to make your own pizza anyway you want, including gluten free bread and you don’t have to suffer through listening to them complain that there’s nothing for them on the menu.

The hubs and I walked in and grabbed a table with the other bloggers and then went up to create our masterpieces. I was so glad he came with me because I really couldn’t decide what I wanted and one of the best things about getting married is sharing food. I ordered the verde base (pine nut basil pesto, mozzarella and Parmesan), while the hubs had plain old margherita.

Next it was toppings. Oh the toppings! You have to be careful, because although the pizzas start at a very reasonable £4.25, if you add absolutely everything (like I tried to), it can add up. I added ham, pancetta, pepperoni (yes, basically every kind of pork they had), pecorino, chestnut mushrooms and olives. But even with all of that added, my pizza only came to £14.40. To put it in perspective, I tried to build the same pizza at Domnios (small size) and it was over £20 and they didn’t even have pecorino. Hubs added chicken, veal meatballs, goats cheese, green peppers, chestnut mushrooms, red onion and courgette.

They were both delicious! And actually fairly large. I took a third of mine home and had it the next day. There wasn’t too much sauce (my pet peeve) and because you see them make the pizza, you can ask for as little or as much as you want. It’s also ready insanely quickly because they have some kind of magic oven that can cook the pizza in 90 seconds. Yes that’s right. They can cook a pizza quicker than my microwave can do popcorn.

If you aren’t into pizza, we can’t be friends but you can still eat at PizzaBuzz. They have salads and some delicious burrata. If you’re on a diet and can’t stomach eating like a rabbit, PizzaBuzz also has a 500 calorie pizza offering which isn’t just cutting the center out of a regular pizza (rolling my eyes in your direction Pizza Express). There’s almost too much to even add in this blog. Love ice cream? They have their own brand that includes almond milk, goats milk and regular old cows milk. I had the goats milk mint chocolate chip, which was surprisingly delish.

My only suggestion to PizzaBuzz would be to add some dipping sauces. In America they have ranch dressing to dip pizza into and although may seem weird at first, it’s magical. Add that and along with the bottomless booze offer for £29.95 – yes, that is a thing and it includes bubbles – and you have a great casual night out.

PizzaBuzz

Alphabeta Building

2b Worship Street

London

EC2A 2AH

www.pizzabuzz.co.uk

Food

The Builders Arms

May 3, 2016

Stephanie

The Builders Arms pub is a *potential* hidden gem on a small street near Kings Road but at the moment is a bit of a diamond in the rough. Just past the boisterous Sydney Arms (great to watch a game, but gets very packed) you can have a more civilized Sunday roast in a place that has an actual ‘press for champagne’ button – however, nobody ever comes.

I’d been many times before, but this particular time, I didn’t inhale my food immediately and remembered to take pictures. Although, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by the addition of live music.

One thing is for sure, you will never want for food at this pub. The Sunday roas was HUGE. Far more than a human woman could possibly eat. So, go hungry!

I had the burger and was very impressed with the fact that I managed to eat the whole thing, bun included without it looking like a five year old ate where I was sitting. It was very tasty as well.

The one hiccup in the food quality were the carrots. We ordered a side portion and nobody ate them because, well, look. They are sad and bruised.

I highly recommend the dessert. I normally skip it at pubs because the offer is almost always boring and/or sticky toffee pudding. We had the apple and rhubarb crumble which was easily big enough for the whole table and the cornflake ice cream which was essentially breakfast but in the best possible way.

The service could use some work, though. I repeatedly had to flag someone down and at no point did anyone come and check on us. As long as you’re not in a rush and waiting ages for things like your drinks and bill doesn’t bother you, the food is quite good.

I also think the pub might need some training on learning when someone has had too much and shouldn’t be served. We left the bar and there was a man slumped over on one of the tables outside with a full beer. We managed to wake him up, but he clearly had too much to drink and shouldn’t have been served that last pint. And, as you can see, the service was such that nobody noticed him outside.

The Builders Arms

13 Britten Street

London

SW3 3TY

www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/london-the-builders-arms

Food

NAC

April 27, 2016

Stephanie

1 Comments

First off NAC, love you long time but can we just talk about the cocktails? I ordered the Popcorn Sazerac and it tasted like popcorn, like vodka tastes like mashed potatoes. I was also so distracted by the word popcorn that I ordered it without reading the entire list of ingredients. For future reference, a ‘dash of absinthe’ is enough to have you at a nightclub 3 hours later describing the women as Instagram models and the men as Gollum.

Anyway, I was surprised hadn’t heard of NAC – or North Audley Cantine- before my friend Michelle decided to have her birthday dinner there. They apparently have a speak easy downstairs, although when I went to the bathroom all I found was an empty popcorn maker. The restaurant has a scene-y atmosphere and decent food; perfect for a party.

The only main we ordered: grilled cajun chicken,

We ordered several small plates to share because we were a bunch of girls wearing tight dresses. Full disclosure? I was really hungry when I got home and crushed the hubs leftover Thai. My favourite dish on the menu was probably the crispy squid. I really wanted the burrata but they had run out. Mayjah sad face.

Crispy squid (and yes, that’s how much aioli it comes with).

I also really liked the truffle mac and cheese (obvi), but there wasn’t actually any mac. i.e macaroni. The pasta they used was Mezze Maniche Rigate (ya, I had to look that up) and it was far too big for the small pot the mac and cheese came in. There was probably 4 or 5 pieces of pasta in the whole thing, which is a pain in the balls to split between girls. Four bites of truffle mac and cheese IS NEVER ENOUGH.

Truffle and cheese with a tiny bit of pasta.

The other fan favourite amongst the group was the torched cauliflower. Cauliflower is the new everything right now: cauliflower rice, cauliflower pizza crust and my friend Michelle told me that restaurants in New York are now serving cauliflower steak for vegans. What we had was super tasty, but I would have liked some kind of sauce to go with it.

Brains… I mean cauliflower.

The tuna was also fantastic and I would recommend it as a main meal if you aren’t that hungry, as it comes with avocado and quinoa. That’s what I actually wanted my meal to be, start with the burrata and the tuna as my main. But, alas, it wasn’t meant to be. I know , I know. I need to get over it. Cheese shouldn’t control my life this way…. But it does.

Said tuna.

What to wear: I was dressed like a classy late 90s call girl in honour of the late, great Prince. But you can dress like a normal person if you want.

NAC

41 North Audley Street

Mayfair

London

W1K 6ZP

http://www.naclondon.co.uk

Food

Dirty Burger

April 25, 2016

Stephanie

Don’t go to Dirty Burger Kentish Town on a first date, unless you met through a messy eating fetish site. In that case, it’s exactly where you should go. This genius burger bar is from the same people who brought you Chicken Shop, Egg Break, Pizza East and of course, Soho House. Hot dogs next, please!

The hidden entrance .

We went out to this particular Dirty Burger because the hubs and I were on our way to a Method Man and Redman concert to party like it was 1999 (RIP Prince). The Kentish Town Dirty Burger is located around the corner from Chicken Shop and Pizza East. Perfect opportunity to eat yourself into an early grave.

They don’t even have a menu at Dirty Burger, just writing on the wall, which I like. One less thing to take up room in your eating space. There were only 4 burgers to choose from (Props to them for calling the veggie burger the dirty cop out). I had the plain cheeseburger because I wasn’t convinced the bacon would be crispy. The burger is messy enough without taking a bite and having the entire piece of bacon come out.

Top Tip: Keep the paper wrapping on to save getting sauce all over your lap.

The service was a little slow, but you can’t rush perfection. You order at the counter and they call your number when it’s ready. Your meal comes on a well-used tray and you can perch on a bench. The non-alcoholic drinks are self serve in an unmarked fridge. It took us a little while to figure it out, but eventually we found it under the sign warning us we were being watched on CCTV.

Dirty Burger is one of the better burgers I have ever had, not just in London. The bun is soft, burger juicy and cheese melty. We added the onion rings, which may have been a little too battered, but still delicious.

If you’re craving a burger, this is the place to go. If you don’t feel like leaving the comfort of your own house to shove a Dirty Burger down your throat, they are on Deliveroo!

What to wear: something you don’t mind getting burger sauce all over.

Who you’ll see: Deliveroo drivers and people inhaling meat.

Dirty Burger

Kentish Town

79 Highgate Road

London

NW5 1TL

www.eatdirtyburger.com

Stephanie Wahlstrom

Hey! Cute top! Flattery gets you everywhere, right? Seriously, though, I like what you've got going on over there. Anyway, my name is Stephanie and I am a Canadian writer living in London. I like to eat, travel and make people laugh. The Accidental Socialite is the name of my debut novel and this blog where you'll find tales of my mishaps and far too many references to bacon. Enjoy!

Restaurant Review

The Basic Girl’s Guide To : Tokyo Food

Crazy Homies﻿

PizzaBuzz

The Builders Arms

NAC

Dirty Burger

Crazy Homies